One of the most fun past times is watching bugs in their natural environments. Even the initial search is an adventure. Play the great bug search satisfies kid’s exuberant curiosity and wonder for hours on end. All bugs are interesting but ants in particular are so busy they are endless source of entertainment and education. As your child watches the ants, he can learn

My son recently started making his own afterschool snacks. I noticed he was becoming quite fond of the microwave in our kitchen,to the point that he began using it exclusively. I explained to him that though the microwave can be helpful in a cinch, it should be used with caution because it does affect our food’s nutritional value. He didn’t believe me just because

My son loves looking at the intricacies of insects. They are so many and so different. One of our favorite after school past times is catching bugs to look at them closely and at our leisure. This is fun but also a valuable scientific tool. Scientists use these methods of observation to help establish and identify the millions of different insect species found in

One of our favorite past times is stargazing. However, it’s hard to keep track of all those constellations. Although, he’s been taught all about constellations, the retention has always been minimal. He will remember little bits and pieces, but not enough to mark as proficient. I think the reason is that he learns best by doing something -an activity-related to what he’s learning.

After being cooped up in a classroom for hours, expected to be quiet for a lot of that time, kids need a release. If your child is anything like mine, he will really like things that explode, burn or otherwise self-destruct in some awesome and spectacular way. A great way to help kids find that release is to provide an outdoor outlet that calls

Star gazing and planetary observation using a telescope is a great way to expose children to the wonders of astronomy. Especially during this time of year when it gets darker earlier, it’s a great afterschool activity. Astronomy helps kids learn about planets and other celestial objects. You don’t need the most expensive telescopes to accomplish this. A small and less expensive telescope made just

Creating a scenario or fictional setting can be a great way for children to express their creativity and imagination. Tools that take students into another world and let them be whoever they want to be allow for their minds to grow and expand. The Mystery of the Poison Dart Frog is a site that comes from the North Carolina Museum of Art. In this

Kids love getting messy and reviewing their states of matter knowledge in this messy, yet fun, hands on science demonstration. Oobleck, a non-Newtonian fluid, is also a fictional green precipitation invented by children’s author Dr. Seuss in the book Bartholomew and the Oobleck. After reading the story, explain to your student or group of students that you will be creating the icky rain called

The book 1001 Ways to Explore Science and Nature contains hundreds of fun, educational, and crafty ways to explore science and nature after-school. The following project, Costly Leaks, was adapted from the book. Kids love it because it is an engaging real world problem. Teachers love it because it is a great way to explore environmental concepts while practicing multiplication. Costly Leaks: It may